Childcare for Older Kids
The benefits of family day care for school-aged children.
BY HEJIRA CONVERY, KINDICARE
School fills in a big chunk of the day, but if you need childcare before and after class, or at more unusual times, then family day care is a great go-to.
Family day care educators can look after children from birth all the way up to 12 years of age, and many offer before and after school care, evening care and weekend care options.
This model of work-friendly, age-appropriate education and care has unique benefits for big kids and busy parents, and to learn more about the upsides of family day care, we’ve spoken to Family Day Care Australia CEO, Andrew Paterson.
Here are four reasons he recommends family day care for older children and their families:
1. Family day care keeps siblings together.
With age ranges from birth to 12-years-old, family day care gives parents the opportunity for siblings of different ages to stay in care together.
“Younger siblings generally attend care during the day,” says Andrew, “While the school-aged siblings often attend for before and after school care. That means parents only need to drop off and pick up their children from one central location and they have the comfort of knowing their little ones are spending quality time with each other in a regulated and safe environment.”
2. Smaller group sizes ensure one-on-one attention.
The educator to child ratio for family day care ensures that educators have the time to really focus on each child.
For older children, this extra attention can be especially helpful when it comes to revision, homework and staying on top of their schooling responsibilities, because educators are required to have a dedicated and documented learning program for each child in care, when under or over school age.
3. Family day care is a ‘home away from home'.
Parents love the way family day care caters to outside standard hours and school-aged care, and they also see great benefit in the lasting relationships formed between educators, children and families.
“Time and again, we hear from our educator members that the children call family day care their second home,” Andrew says. “With children able to start from birth and remain in care until 12-years-old, the bonds that form can last for a lifetime.”
4. Family day care has positive lifelong impacts.
Andrew says it’s not uncommon for children growing up in family day care to come back to the sector years later – placing their own children in family day care or returning as educators-in-training!
Seeing firsthand the freedom, flexibility and opportunities provided by family day care educators continues to inspire new generations of educators, with some choosing to undergo their traineeships under the very same educators that cared for them as children.
“We find that older children in family day care homes love getting involved with planning activities for the little ones, imparting their imaginations and their wisdom on the younger children as they grow,” Andrew says. “It’s not surprising that this kickstarts careers in the early childhood sector.”
Find family day care in your area, or join the sector yourself!
If you’re looking for flexible childcare that comes from the home and from the heart, then KindiCare makes it easy to find a fantastic family day care service for your older or younger child.
Alternatively, if you’re interested in an exciting and rewarding career in family day care, visit the Family Day Care Australia Careers Hub for information on how to get started, the requirements and your earning potential.
This KindiCare article explains the benefits of starting your very own family day care, and if you’re looking for other employment in the early learning sector, explore KindiCare Jobs.
